


the woman and the sea

by politicalmamaduck



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Blood, Death, Gen, Short One Shot, Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-09
Updated: 2018-05-09
Packaged: 2019-05-04 11:35:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14592159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/politicalmamaduck/pseuds/politicalmamaduck
Summary: All Ashara Dayne could hear was the sea.





	the woman and the sea

From her window in her favorite tower she could hear the sea crashing against the waves, the seagulls crying out.

She knew those waves intimately, had laughed and splashed in them since her childhood.

She couldn’t remember the last time she had laughed.

She was there, in Harrenhal, the day all the smiles died.

_ Was it all worth it? _

She could remember the way he laughed, asking her to dance with his shy, quiet younger brother. The way she felt, walking into a den of direwolves, unsure of her reception.

Her dance partner was shy, and gentle.

Nothing at all like his older brother.

Brandon’s laughter could be heard across the hall, raucous and joyful. Eddard was soft and silent. Brandon was wild and reckless, whereas Eddard was measured and stern.

She could hear the sadness in Eddard’s voice as he greeted her.

When he handed her Dawn, all she could hear was the roaring of the sea. The waves had blocked out all other sound, especially Lord Eddard’s voice.

Now she could hear perfectly, alone atop the tower.

There was nothing left here for her. Her lover was gone, her daughter was gone, her brother was gone. They had all left her behind. They had all died for no purpose but to atone for one man’s sins.

She could feel the breeze, light and soft against her face, coming off the waves. It buffeted her, cosseted her, enveloped her as though she was wrapped up in it.

She leaned into the breeze, closing her eyes, letting it brush against her face and push her hair back behind her.

She leaned forward, over the edge of the tower wall, soaking it in.

She could see the waves below her, coming into shore, leaving their mark on the sand.

There was nothing for her now but the sand and the sea.

She of the haunting purple eyes and breathless beauty took a step up onto the parapet, then another, stood on the edge of the precipice, and let herself lean and fall forward.

Ashara Dayne’s blood spilled out onto the sand, traveling inward with the waves of the sea. The seagulls shrieked and cried as they spotted the lifeless woman below, lying in a pool of blood.

**Author's Note:**

> A huge thank you to my dear friend Celia/crossingwinter for betaing and her support! You can find me at politicalmamaduck.tumblr.com. Comments and feedback always appreciated.


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